A grandfather's magic. A machine to collect excitement. A way to live two lives at once. An endless to-do list. Time-travel hopelessness. A colony built on a giant.

Six unconnected tales that have only one thing in common: each asks an important question. What do you do when nothing works? How can you live fully? Can you have it all? Can you do it all? When the loss is too great, why do you continue? And when the story is too true, how do you live it? Like shadows, growing when the day is late and the light is coming in, the answers you find may stretch long, reaching and fading, spooling out in blacks and grays. But don't worry; just like shadows themselves, these thoughts are filled with light.

Michael Bowden is a dad and a teacher, wrapped up in science and language. He lives in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, with his wife, two kids, one dog, and two cats. For more on him and his work, visit michaelbowden.ca. Stay awhile, put your feet up, get comfy. He's a private guy, but he's easily sociable.